Ban the BNP, say Muslims

THE far right British National Party should be banned, according to organisers of a Manchester Islamic conference. The event had attracted massive publicity after invitations were extended to speakers including Imran Wahid, head of the radical Hizb-Ut-Tahrir organisation.

THE far right British National Party should be banned, according to organisers of a Manchester Islamic conference.

The event, attended by more than 2,000 people, had attracted massive publicity after invitations were extended to speakers including Imran Wahid, the head of the radical Hizb-Ut-Tahrir organisation, named by Tony Blair as one group that he would consider banning.

The controversial invitations to the conference at the Bridgewater Hall were later withdrawn. It was opened by Mohammad Omar, chairman of the Rochdale-based organisers, the Ramadhan Foundation, standing alongside representatives of Manchester's other faith communities.

Omar said: "Islam lives in peace with other communities. We believe in tolerance and should look at our fellow citizens as human beings. We can still have our values and integrate with other people."

Mr Blair said last week that radical Islamic groups such as Hizb-Ut-Tahrir and Al Muhajiroun would be banned. But Mohammad Shafiq, from the Ramadhan Foundation, said banning the party which claims it has never advocated violence, belies the British right to freedom of speech.

He demanded the Prime Minister make clear his position on the BNP in his assault on extremism. He said: "The BNP should certainly be banned or is it just Muslim groups he wants to ban?

Liberties

"It's a question of civil liberties. If anyone is advocating violence then they should be banned, but if they don't they should not.

"We don't support every Muslim group. But we support the rights of Muslim groups to express their views."

Hizb-Ut-Tahrir refuse to participate in the mainstream British political process.

Other speakers at the conference were critical of the measures announced by Mr Blair to tackle extremism in Britain. Among the most vociferous critics was former prisoner of the Taliban, and Muslim convert, Yvonne Ridley.

Wearing the same clothes she wore while held captive in Afghanistan, she said: "If I had not been born in this country I'm sure I would be on Mr Blair's list to be deported. The only difference between the indiscriminate bombings of London and those in Iraq are the numbers. Who is going to be brought to justice for the deaths in Iraq?

"I never knew we would have Pol Pot politics in Great Britain. This has become Tony Blair's police state."

She then launched an attack on organisations claiming to represent the Muslim community in Britain as being "self-appointed". To a standing ovation, she concluded: "Being silent is not an option. We must stand up and unite."